postal service

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ansumania: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 301; Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:18 pm; Thanked: 4 times

by ansumania » Tue Apr 20, 2010 2:10 am

pl. discuss.

The postal service is badly mismanaged. Forty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost only three cents. Since then, the price has increased nearly tenfold, with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.
Each of the following statements, if true, would tend to weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

(A) The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased dramatically over the last forty years.
(B) Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.
(C) Private delivery services usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable delivery charges.
(D) The average delivery time for a first-class letter four decades ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.
(E) The average level of consumer prices overall has increased more than 300 percent over the last forty years.

regards,

Ansumania

Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning | Tue Apr 20, 2010 2:10 am

gmatmachoman: Legendary Member; Posts: 2326; Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 173 times; GMAT Score:710

by gmatmachoman » Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:27 am

ansumania wrote:pl. discuss.

The postal service is badly mismanaged. Forty years ago, first-class letter delivery cost only three cents. Since then, the price has increased nearly tenfold, with an actual decrease in the speed and reliability of service.
Each of the following statements, if true, would tend to weaken the argument above EXCEPT:

(A) The volume of mail handled by the postal service has increased dramatically over the last forty years.
(B) Unprecedented increases in the cost of fuel for trucks and planes have put severe upward pressures on postal delivery costs.
(C) Private delivery services usually charge more than does the postal service for comparable delivery charges.
(D) The average delivery time for a first-class letter four decades ago was actually slightly longer than it is today.
(E) The average level of consumer prices overall has increased more than 300 percent over the last forty years.

regards,

Ansumania

IMO C

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November Rain: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:25 am; Thanked: 14 times; GMAT Score:720

by November Rain » Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:50 am

IMO E.

Its the only one that strenghts the critic, instead of weaking it.

paddle_sweep: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 379; Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am; Location: Chennai,India; Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:33 am

Please post the OA. IMO it's [spoiler]'E'.[/spoiler]

chrsrook: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 22; Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 7:46 am

by chrsrook » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:37 am

IMO C...

Comparing cost of private delivery service to that of postal services is out of scope. This doesn't weaken the conclusion that postal services are mismanaged.

ansumania: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 301; Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:18 pm; Thanked: 4 times

by ansumania » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:37 am

OA is "E"

please explain how E is the answer...

paddle_sweep: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 379; Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am; Location: Chennai,India; Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:51 am

ansumania wrote:OA is "E"

please explain how E is the answer...

'E' does not seem to have any relationship with the passage.

November Rain: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:25 am; Thanked: 14 times; GMAT Score:720

by November Rain » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:03 am

Hi
The reason why its E is because, like I said, it's the only one that strengths the critic instead of weakening it.

The Critic is: "The Postal Services are being mismanaged because the costs have increased tenfold while the quality has decreased"

Now, the right answer is the one that does not weakens this critic, but actually strengths it.
E says that the inflation has risen 300% (4 x). However, the costs of the Postal Services have increase tenfold. Therefore it is a clear sign that the Postal Services are mismanaged, strengthing the argument.

nileshdalvi: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 171; Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:59 amFollowed by: 3 members; Thanked: 13 times

by nileshdalvi » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:51 am

What is the source of this question?

There seem no 4 choices which are convincingly weakening the argument.

As far as I understand, just price increase does not claim mismanagement. Price Increase with speed decrease and delayed service is what concludes mismanaging the service.

I can see only A and D convincingly weakening the argument. 'A' targets reliability and provides an excuse for it by not associating it with mismanagement. 'D' targets speed saying that the delay has actually decreased. However, I feel it contradicts the evidence for doing so.

Rest of them, I cant see weakening, so I am not able to decide between B,C and E

Any comments?

Shawshank: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 305; Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:38 am; Thanked: 10 times

by Shawshank » Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:51 am

imo -- C..

I dont think E is strengthening the argument.

What is the source of this question.. if its 1000CR then no point debating the answer....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shawshank Redemtion -- Hope is still alive ...

xyztroy: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 24; Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:05 pm

by xyztroy » Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:36 am

Shawshank wrote:imo -- C..

I dont think E is strengthening the argument.

What is the source of this question.. if its 1000CR then no point debating the answer....

300% increase of other prices = 4 times than the price 4 decades ago.
Postal Prices are now 10 times of the price 4 decades ago.

So It shows Postal department's mismanagement. While other prices have increased by only 4 times, but postal prices have increased 10 times.

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